Ayman Soliman: Detained Muslim Brotherhood Figure in the US Uncovered by a Support Campaign

20th July 2025

5 minutes read

Ayman Soliman: Detained Muslim Brotherhood Figure in the US Uncovered by a Support Campaign

In the midst of a complex legal battle revealing a deeper rift between American institutions and the transnational Muslim Brotherhood, the name Ayman Soliman has emerged in the spotlight.

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Soliman, a religious advisor at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, is at the center of a case that goes beyond asylum or religious rights. It points directly to how the Brotherhood penetrates Western societies under the guise of spiritual and community work.

Arriving in the U.S. as a political refugee years ago, Soliman now faces deportation proceedings based on security reviews linking him to religious associations considered to be front organizations for the Brotherhood in Egypt. His case has sparked a concerning wave of support from Islamic figures and institutions in the U.S. long associated with the group’s global agenda.

A religious guide in public, a Brotherhood figure in private

Granted asylum in 2018 after claiming religious persecution, Soliman has since come under scrutiny by immigration authorities. His involvement with the board of a da’wah association in Egypt — known to be a backchannel of support for the Muslim Brotherhood — raised red flags.

A U.S. asylum officer categorized the association as a “Tier III organization,” a label used for entities suspected of offering indirect support to terrorist groups. Though not formally listed as a terrorist organization in either Egypt or the U.S., the association’s Brotherhood ties were enough to have Soliman’s refugee status revoked in December 2024. He was detained in July 2025.

Before arriving in the U.S., Soliman served as an imam for 14 years in Egypt. In the United States, he led prayer and religious activities in several Islamic centers and advised universities and correctional institutions. He also holds memberships in prominent bodies such as the Fiqh Council of North America, the Muslim Chaplains Association, and the North American Imams Federation.

Unexpected arrest and temporary deportation freeze

On July 9, Soliman was detained by ICE officers during a routine check in Blue Ash, Ohio. The arrest followed the official cancellation of his asylum status, causing uproar in legal and activist circles.

His legal team swiftly obtained a temporary injunction halting his deportation, pending a bail hearing on July 23 and a follow-up session on July 24 to consider extending the order.

His lawyers argue that the case is based not on new evidence, but on a “political reinterpretation” of Soliman’s past affiliations, which were disclosed when he initially applied for asylum.

Leaked documents and Brotherhood-linked support

Beyond the legal aspects, the case has taken on a political tone due to coordinated support from Brotherhood-affiliated figures within the U.S., aiming to portray Soliman as a peaceful imam and victim of religious targeting.

A public statement signed by multiple Islamic leaders in Ohio — some of whom have been convicted or charged in Egypt — revealed the Brotherhood’s network. Among the signatories: Ahmed Abdel Basset Mohamed (sentenced to death in Egypt), Hossam Moussa, Mahmoud Khalili, Ihab Al-Asghari, Fawzan Hanshbay, Faraz Malik, Youssef Mohamed, and others holding key roles in mosques and Islamic centers.

The statement, using apologetic language, framed Soliman as a community servant, omitting his Brotherhood background and casting the case purely in humanitarian terms — a common tactic of the organization’s global operations.

Religious charity or political front?

The case rekindles debate over the extent of Brotherhood influence in Muslim communities across the West, and its use of da’wah and integration narratives to mask ideological agendas.

Soliman’s situation is not isolated; it reflects a broader strategy by the Brotherhood to re-establish itself abroad after suffering repeated setbacks in the Middle East, especially in Egypt, where its organizational infrastructure has been dismantled.

A shift in U.S. political posture

Soliman’s arrest coincides with growing pressure within U.S. policymaking circles to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist entity. Leading this effort is Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who has introduced a new bill titled the “Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025.”

The bill adopts a bottom-up legal approach, allowing the State Department to first classify violent branches before targeting the parent organization. Backed by influential lobbying groups like AIPAC and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the bill gives Secretary of State Marco Rubio 90 days to submit a comprehensive report on Brotherhood affiliates in Egypt, Europe, and the U.S.

Soliman’s case is thus seen as a test case for a broader American policy shift seeking to curb the Brotherhood’s transnational reach within legal and religious institutions on U.S. soil.